He stood and wiped the sweat from his brow as he pondered his dream. It had been so vivid; his heart was still pounding. He had really felt as if he had just encountered his mother. And her words to him kept repeating in his mind. They felt like a message. More than a message—they felt like a command.
Come home.
Thor felt an urgency, felt there was some great message awaiting him in his hometown. Some great secret waiting to be unlocked. The secret of who he was. Of who his mother was.
He walked over to the gurgling creak, knelt down and splashed cold water on his face, trying to shake it. But he could not. It clung to him, this persistent feeling that he needed to go there. Was he imagining it? Was it wishful thinking? Was it just a fanciful dream? It was so hard to know what was a dream, and what was a message. When did his own unconscious get in the way of his seeing a message clearly?
“Sometimes dreams are more than dreams,” came a voice.
Thor knew that voice, and it sent a chill up his spine.
He turned slowly to see Argon standing there, holding his staff, dressed in his white robes, looking out at the breaking dawn. He did not even look Thor’s way.
Thor was so relieved to see him; it was like seeing an old friend.
“Argon,” Thor said. “Please, tell me. Was it all true? The dream? Does my mother wait for me?”
“Yes and no,” he responded.
Thor wondered.
“Must I return to my hometown?” he pressed.
“You know the answer.”
Thor did. He felt it. He had to go.
“But is she awaiting me there now? How did she get there? What is she doing there?”
“Some things you must find out on your own,” Argon said. “It is up to you to make the journey.”
Suddenly, Argon vanished. Thor turned every which way, looking for him, but he was gone.
Thor rubbed his face several times, wondering if he’d imagined the whole thing.
But he was certain that he had not. First there was the dream. Then, Argon. Thor felt it was a sign, one he could no longer ignore. He felt the same way he did on that fateful day when he’d left his village and first embarked for King’s Court. The universe was telling him something. He had to go back to his hometown. Something was awaiting him there. Some secret he needed to unlock. Was that why fate had sent Thor here, to this remote village, which shared the same road as that to his hometown? He wondered. Had the universe been giving him signs all along?
Thor stood upright, ran his wet hands through his hair, and decided. He must go. He needed answers. His hometown was hardly a day’s ride from here, and he could make it there and back before the sunset. His Legion brothers would be okay without him for the day. It was risky, because he would be leaving his post, and if the Legion commanders found out, he could be punished. But there wasn’t much to do here today, anyway, aside from some more light rebuilding. It wasn’t like they were at war, and Thor felt confident his friends would be safe.
Thor turned and headed for his horse, preparing to take off before the sun rose higher.
Suddenly, there came a voice.
“Where are you going?”
Thor turned and saw Reece, standing there, looking much more recovered, fully dressed. Thor stopped and turned to him.
“Reece,” he said. “You look well. I’m glad to see you’re feeling better.”
“I am,” he said, his energy returned. “Much. In fact, I’m going to go and pay a visit to the girl who helped me now.”
Thor smiled.
“Not wasting any time, are you?” Thor remarked, looking at the dawn. “Good for you.”
Thor admired his courage. He knew what it took.
Reece smiled sheepishly back.
“And you?” he asked, looking at Thor’s horse. “You look as if you’re going somewhere.”
Thor cleared his throat, wondering how much to say. He could trust Reece more than anyone, and he decided to tell him.
“I had a dream,” Thor responded. “It felt like a sign. I need to visit my hometown. I will return before the second sun sets. Can you cover for me?”
Reece nodded solemnly.
“Do what the fates tell you to do,” he said.
Reece stepped forward and clasped Thor’s forearm firmly.
“You saved my life yesterday. I shall never forget.”
As they clasped arms, Thor felt more than ever that Reece was his true brother, closer to him than